Rubber heel



Aug. 12 1924. 1,505,038 c. w. LAVERS RUBBER HEEL Filed June 14, 1921 Wi Z) WITNESSES HUI/ENTOR A TTOR/VE Y8 Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUBBER HEEL.

Application filed June 14, 1921. Serial No. 477,52 6.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. LAVERS, a subject of the Kingof England, and resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented a new and Improved Rubber Heel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in heels, and more particularly rubber heels.

It is well appreciated in connection with rubber heels that the same wear unevenly. This is to be predicated mostly to the peculiarity of the wearers walk. Thus it often occurs that the rear edge of a heel is worn to the lift of a shoe, but that the forward or breast portion of the heel presents practically no wear at all, but nevertheless the entire heel must be discarded and a new one substituted.

Further it has heretofore been diflicult to attach a rubber heel in such a manner that the same would form what might virtually be termed an integral part of the shoe in that no movement of the heel would take place with respect to the body of the shoe.

Also in applying a heel an operator has usually had to cut the heel so as to insure that nicety of fit which is most desirable, in that the heel is liable to catch in clothing, such as for instance cuffs of trousers, upon the legs of the latter being drawn over the shoe, or in the skirts of dresses.

Having these and other objections in mind it is now an object of my invention to provide a heel, and more particularly a rubber heel which may be provided in an entire or single piece or in sections, so that in the latter modification it will not be necessary to renew an entire heel upon a portion of the heel proper becoming worn.

A further object ofmy invention is the construction of a device of the character stated which may be applied in such a manner that when the parts of the same are once in position, no danger of accidental detachment will exist.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a heel by means of which an operator may far more readily fit the same than has heretofore been possible, it being also noted that my invention contemplates the construction of a heel in which the liability of the same becoming caught in clothing will be materially reduced.

Further objects of my invention will appear in the annexed specification taken in connection with the drawings, which latter present one practical embodiment of the same, and in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bottom of a shoe and showing my improved heel applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of said heel, also shown in two sections.

Figure 3 is a sectional side view taken along the line 33 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 14 in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 3 and showing the base plate in position in recessed portion before being aflixed to the leather lift.

Figures 5 and 6 are face and sectional views respectively of a type of cupped, retaining apertured embedded elements which are utilized in practicing my invention.

Figures 7 and 8 are also face and sectional views of a similar cupped embedded apertured' fastening element which may be optionally used, the lat-ter view being taken along the line 88 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is a sectional front View taken along the line 99 in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the figures it will be noted that the reference numeral 10 indicates the sole of a shoe to which the leather heel 11 is attached, my improved type of heel being associated with the latter, and being formed either in one or more sections as more fully described hereafter.

This heel utilizes a base or positioning plate 12 which is formed with a series of openings 24 permitting of the passage of some of the attaching elements hereinafter more fully described.

This base plate also by reason of the apertures therein provided for the specific purpose, acts as a template or guide for the attaching means whereby they are prevented from deflection; it also provides a smooth contact surface in order to compensate for any inequalities that may occur in the leather lift and prevents further movement of either attachable or fixed portions of the heel.

Also the plate 12 provides any desired number of openings 14 of a diameter permitting of a penetration of teats 15 forming an integral part of the interior concave face of the attachable portion of the heel,

' and it will be noted in this connection that the heel itself may be composed of one or a plurality of sections which in the embodiment illustrated are two in number, and identified by the reference numerals l6 and 17, it being also noted that the section 16 is of greater thickness than the section 17 for a purpose hereinafter more fully specified, i. e. that Worn portions may be readily renewed Without removal of other sections, or the entire heel.

In the manufacture of the heel, referring more particularlyto Figures 3, 5 and 6, a series of cup-shaped or dish apertured washers 18 or plates 21 With similar dished openings 22 are embedded in the attachable portion or in each of the heel sections 16 and 17, and screws 19 or attaching means have their heads co-operating with the washers, their shanks extending through the openings 24 in the base plate 12, and so into the lift 11, to which they attach the heel section or sections. It will also be seen that I preferably extend the attachable portion or heel sections 16 and 17 so that the same provide perforated raised bosses 20, adjacent the outer ends of the bores in the base of which the Washers 18 or the plate 21 are positioned; said bosses or projections being not only intended for their cushioning effect but also as providing an increased outer wearing surface and more particularly to provide the maximum amount of rubber adjacent to the retaining screws or elements which is necessary in order to compensate for the recessing and concaving of the inner surface of the attachable portion or portions; said bosses or projections permitting the entry and passage of the screws 1.9 or other suitable retaining means through their perforated apertures 29 and thereafter through the openings 22 in the embedded plate or plates or through the embedded Washers 18 and therethrough the corresponding openings 24, in the base plate 12, and thence into the leather lift 11.

An important and fundamental distinction between this heel and all others hitherto patented is the peculiarshape of the heel and attention being invited to Figure 9 it will be seen that the cross section of the heel, prior to its application to the shoe is such that its outer or wearing face presents prior to attachment a convex surface, as well as a concave inner face recessed, and it will thus be obvious that Within certain limits, the cross sectional area and plane surfaces covered by the outer or wearing face of the heel may be varied by tightening the screws 19, or retaining means to a greater or less extent, thus causing the attachable heel SCO- tion or sections to be spread to a degree at which they will conform to the outline of the lift 11, by close contact with the margin or ridge 25, and yet leave an air space be tween the attachable portion or portions and the lift 11.

It will also be seen that by adopting the concave inner face those portions of the heel most likely to become. spaced from the lift are held in more or less intimate contact therewith to prevent any tendency of this occurring.

Reference being had to Figures 7 and 8 it will be seen that in lieu of the washers 18 I may employ a perforated plate 21 which may be provided in sections or in one piece corresponding in number to the number of sections 16 and 17 utilized. this plate. or plates being formed with dished openings 22 conforming in function to the embedded cupped washers 18: said plate or plates 21 being also provided with openings 27 for the purpose of permitting the flow of plastic material in and around the said plate (H' plates in course of embedding or moulding of the attachable portion or portions.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a heel either entire or in sections, either fixed or interchangeable. in which, due to the increasing thickness of the material employed in the attachable portion or portions, a greater wearing sur- "face is rovided where most needed, be-

sides the further important function of giving a greater quantity of plastic material over the embedded cupped washers or section plates and other retaining elements so as to avoid downward jolts or jars, the impact of which would otherwise tend to pull out or displace said elements when m use.

It will also be seen that I have rovided av heel either in one piece or in sections having a rounded edge on the inner or forward attachable portion 17 which will serve to eliminate or modify lateral impact or shock when being worn, besides preventing the clothing of the wearer being caught by sharp or right angled corners and edges. In this manner I prevent the embedded washers or section plates from being pulled out by jolts or jars exerted laterally.

Furthermore, aside from the fact that the heel may be adjusted with greater nicety to the size of the lift, it is also noted that the heel as has been illustrated in Figure 3 is recessed at 28, adjacent its point of contact with the base plate 12, one sixteenth of an inch to receive the base plate 12 of One thirty-second of an inch thickness, leaving an' equivalent air space of one thirtysecond of an inch between the base plate 12 and the lift 11, thus giving a further cushioning eflect and that an even tighter joint will be provided which will exclude the entrance of all moisture, sand, etc.

Also by employing either the embedded washers 18 or the cupped apertured embedded plate or plates 21, an absolute anchorage will have been provided for the screws 19 or other suitable retaining means, which will prevent the heel from working with respect to the lift, and eventually tearing through its securing elements, it being also seen that the teats 15 projecting through the openings let of the base plate 12 will further guard against any sidewise shifting of the heel. The projecting or up thrown burred marking points 13 formed integral on the plate 12, also serve as an indicating element for the operator in properly fastening the heel in its initial stage by attaching the base plate 12 to the lift 11 by means of brads or tacks 23, through openings 26 in base plate 12, and thereafter passing the screws 19 or other suitable retaining means through the openings 29 in the projections or apertured bosses 20 and through washers 18 or openings 22 in the embedded plate or plates 21, in the attachable portion or portions 16 and 17, and thence into and through the openings 24 in the base plate 12 and into the lift 11.

It will be seen that the entire heel or sections may readily be removed upon the same becoming worn by withdrawing the attaching elements, and that the raised perforated portions 20 will serve to provide an additional wearing surface and further protection to the embedded elements for the purpose of preventing such elements from being torn out in course of wear.

Obviously numerous modifications of structure might readily be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit of my invention, which I claim as;

1. In a rubber heel, a positioning plate adapted for attachment to the lift of a permanent heel and provided with openings therein, and a body portion having an inner concave surface formed with teats for engaging the openings in said plate to properly position said body portion with respect to said plate and lift, the major portion of the area of said concave surface being spaced from the adjacent face of said plate to provide an air cushion.

2. In a rubber heel, a positioning plate adapted for attachment to the lift of a permanent heel and provided with guiding openings, a body portion having an inner concave face, teats extending from said concave face and engaging certain of the openings in said positioning plate, washers embedded in said body portion and having their openings aligned with other openings in said positioning plate, and fastening means extending through said washers and the openings in said positioning plate aligned therewith.

CHARLES WILLIAM LAVERS. 

